5/23 Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd

Few passages are more beloved than Psalm 23 and today we'll look over familiar territory and remember what it means that "the Lord is our Shepherd."

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Look in your Bible, just below the title “Psalm 23”. Who does it say wrote this psalm? According to the podcast, how was this author a shepherd of both sheep and people? How might this personal resume have helped him understand more richly that the Lord is his shepherd?

2. Look up John 10:14, 1 Peter 5:4 and Hebrews 13:20. What do these verses tell us about Jesus as our shepherd? If Jesus is our shepherd, how should we look to Him and respond to Him?

3. How does the Holman Christian Standard Version render the phrase “I shall now want” in verse 1? How does this help us understand what David means by this phrase? In what ways have you seen the Lord provide for your “wants”?

4. In verse 2, why does the Lord lead His people to green pastures and quiet waters?

5. In verse 3, what does “restore” mean? How does the Lord restore His people? Where has He restored you?

6. What are the “paths of righteousness” in verse 3? According to this verse, why does the Lord guide us down these paths?

7. Will the Lord ever lead you down an unrighteous path? As you consider your own life, are there any “paths” that you need to forsake because they are not righteous?

8. What did the podcast say David means in verse 4, that the Lord walks with him through valleys of the shadow of death? Where have you gone through such a valley? When we go through those kinds of difficult times, how does the fact that God is with us, help us?

9. In verses 5 &6, where is this banquet being held? What is the relationship vibe that you see in these verses?

10. What does verse 6 mean by saying that “only” goodness and mercy will follow us? How does the Lord provide us with this mercy and goodness?

11. All in all, this verse shows the tremendous joy and peace that comes from pure fellowship with the Lord. How does this psalm help you abide in this relationship with God?

The Key Chapters Bible Podcast is a daily, 15ish minute podcast that goes over the key chapters of the Bible, one per day, explaining how it fits into the overall message of God and how it relates to our lives now. Jump in today or start back in Genesis 1!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

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Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.